Automatic shock-threshing machine.



E. IVI.A WHEELUCK.

RES`HING MACHINE. 2. nENEv/ED JAN.

AUTOMATIC sHocK TH APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. |91 29. I9I l Penifed Sepia 4;, 191

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. IVI. WHEELOCK.

AUTOMATIC SHOCK THRESHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. |912. RENEWED MN. 29. 19|?.

.Il ,@389979 Patented Sept. 4,1917.l

I SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. M. WHEELUCK.

AUTOMATIC SHOCK THRESHING MACHINE. i APPLICATION man MAY 20i |912. RENEWED JAN. 29. 917.

Paentedpt, ai, 1917.

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i narran srarns arrnnr een.

EDWIN M. WHEELOCK, OF WINONA, MINNESO'JJA.4

AUTOMATIC SHOCK-THRESHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4c, 1917..

Application led May 20, 1912, Serial No. 698,651. Renewed January 29, 1917. Serial No. 145,307.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN M. Wrrnnnoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVinona, in the county of Winona and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Shock- Threshing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic shock threshing machines, and has for its object to provide a separator outfit having the lmotor for operating and propelling the same self-contained in combination with a traveling shock gathering device which shall lift the bundles of grain from the shocks on to a platform from which they may be transferred by hand to an elevating conveyer and from thencedelivered to the self feeder of the threshing machine.

It is the chief object of my invention to provide a machine of the above character in which the entire operations of handling and separating the grain from the straw may be accomplished whilel the grain is in the shock by an outfit which will require but few operatives to run. llhe grain `will have to be handled only once and that will be to place the bundles upon the conveyer which elevates the same to the feeder, the bundles being automatically picked upfrom the shocks and delivered to said platform. The entire power for operating` the threshing machine and shock loader and elevator as well as propelling the apparatus through the held is derived from a motor carried directly on the threshing frame.

It is an object of'my invention to so construct the shock loader that it may be mounted in front of the traction thresher and the wheels thereof operate to steer the entire apparatus, and thus, as the machine proceeds across the field, it may be caused to travel in a more or less irregular path successively to approach different shocks and receive and deliver the same upon a platform moving with the shock loader, from which an operative will transfer the bundles one at a time to a carrier for moving the bundles to the feeder. The straw will be thrown out back of the separator scattering over the ground where it can be readily plowed in to act as fertilizer and the grain will be handled by an elevating weigher of well known construction from which it willl run to a grain tank drawn `behind the outfit. 1 The present system of shock threshing requires that the separator shall be set up at such purposes, however, does not materially L reduce the labor involved in` shock threshing, merely doing away with a few pitchers and not at all with teamsters or horses and, in fact, increasing the 'amount of horse power required. It has also been proposed to provide movable separators having Aa power plant self contained, that is, the motor for driving the separator mechanism being mounted on they frame of the separator and having means for clutching the same to traction wheels for propelling the separator through the field. In using this type of separator, it is designed to make more stands in a field so that the bundles will not need to be hauled so far, but the separator does not operate while in motion and the bundles must, as before, be loaded upon wagons and drawn to the separator'.

It will be seen, therefore, that the primary object of my invention is to provide a separator which, in its entirety, goes to the bundles in place in the shocks, operates to pick them up, and performs the operation of separating the grain from the straw while the separator is in motion. lt is, of course, proposed to employ a motor of the explosive engine type, and to operate a device such as is outlined herein, but two men will be required, one to run the engine and steer the combined separator and shock loader and the other to handle the bundles upon the platform of the shock loader. The only teams which will be needed would be those required to haul the grain to the warehouse or elevator. l

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear inconnection with the detailed description thereof, and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

vation of my combined loading separator in which the loading mechanism runs in advance of the separator andthe separator is steered thereby. Fig. 3 is a plan and Fig. 4 a side elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the shock loader run# ningv at the side of the separator and adapted to deliver bundles to a front feeder of well known construction.

The separator frame is formed of uprights 10 and longitudinal members 11 .in` a well known manner, and is supported in front rupon a. steering truck 12 of common construction. The separating mechanism itself will be of any of the well known types in use and forms no part of my invention, a front feeder 13 being shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and a deck feeder 14 in Figs. 1 and 2, either or both of 4which may be of common construction and do not in themselves form any part of'my invention. Ainctor of explosive engine type is indicated diagrammatically at l5, it being intended to use a motor of the horizontal opposed cylinder type, although it is obvious other forms of motor will fall equally within the scope of my invention. The crank shaft 16 is connected by suitable gearing 17 with the gear wheels 1S of the separator which are larger and wider than rear separator wheels as ordinarily employed., being in fact modified traction engine wheels. Suitable clutching mechanism (not shown) for disconnecting, reverseand changespeed is employed andmay be of any of the well kno-wn types employed for that purpose.. A pulley 19 is connected by belt 2O with the' pulley 21 on shaft 22 `on which is mounted the threshing cylinder of the separator and which, as is usual, is` the main power shaft from which the various elements of the separator are driven. As these features form no part of my invention, the details of the separator mechanism and the driving mechanism therefor have been largely omitted from the drawings. l/Vhen the side form of shock loader is employed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the separator will be steered directly by the oscillation of the front truckv 12 of the separator through steering mechanism 23 provided for that purpose. In the preferred form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the steering truck 12 has rigidly secured thereto a tongue or beam 24, andv upon the outer end of said tongue is mounted a casting 25 pivoted to oscillate in a vertical plane, said casting carrying a cross bar 26 preferably of the form indicated in dotted lines in Fig.l 1, at the outer ends of which are journaled so as to swing on vertical axes wheels 27. Each of said wheels is provided with anarm 2S, said arms 2S being pivotally connected to nieve. in unison by means of a link 29. Cables 30 and 3l extend in opposite directions around sheaves 32 and 33, being guided beneath the 38 onk the end thereof conveniently positioned to be manipulated by the operator.

By the above indicated means, it will ybe seen y that the wheels 27 are mounted for inde` pendent oscillation in a vertical plane vrelative to the tongue 24 but will through operation of the steering mechanism, `just T described, oscillate said tongue and throughit the front truck 12 of the separator, by which the entire'ap varatus may be steered. Upon each end of t iecross bar 26` brackets 39 are provided, and pivoted insaid brackets by means of sleeve trunnions 40 is a frame 41 having a continuous floor 42 overy which is adapted to travel an endless conveyer 43 which runs over rollers 44 and 45 journaled in the ends of said frame.` A v Upon the tongue 24is rigidly constructed a platform 46 and extending upwardly from adjacent one side .of said platform is a carrier trough 47, said trough extending abovr` a slideway or chute 48 runn'ingdown to the conveyer 49 of the feeder. The, conveyer 49 is driven fromv the cylinder shaft 22 by means of a sprocket chain 5,()` running from sprocket wheel 51 to a sprocket wheel 52 on a shaft 53 upon which is mounted the roller for. driving the conveyer 49. The shaft 53 hasthereon a spur gear 54 in mesh witha spur gear 55 on a vshort shaft 56 upon which is a sprocket connected bya sprocket chain 57 witha sprocket wheel 58 on a roller 59 journaled at the end of` trough 47. `The roller 53 drives an endless conveyer 60 which travels in the conveyertrough 47 and ex tends around roller 59 and another roller 61 journaled in the lower end of the conveyer trough 47 .y 0n the shaft 62 ofthe roller 61 is a sprocket wheel 63 from which extends a sprocket chain 64 to a sprocket wheel 65 on a shaft 66 extending through bearings in the aforesaid trunnions 40. Upon the other end of shaft 66 is a sprocket wheel 67 over which runs a sprocket chain 68 driving a sprocket wheel 69 on a shaft 7 O upon which the front roller 45 is mounted.

By this means, frame 41 and loader plat'- form 42 is mounted for freeV relative movement transversely in a vertical'plane at right angles to tongue .24 upon casting 25 andfor free movement longitudinally or parallel to tongue 24 about trunnions 40 although Athe carrier 43 thereon is constantly driven by the' means above described. llhen in use, the lower end of frame 41 is supported at` the proper distance from the ground by means of'caster wheels 71,- and due to the iiexibility 4above stated, it may travel comparatively close to the ground and will, follow the variations of the surface accurately and safely. When the frame 41 is not in use, it will be lifted parallel with platform 46 and locked in that position by means of a `key 72 engaging in apertures 73 on side brackets 74 provided for that purpose.

ln `the form of my invention. illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 which may be used to advantage with. certain types of front self feeders, a platform 75 is lrigidly secured to the frame of the separator, extending out the proper distance to one side thereof. Upon the forward end of platform 75 are secured upwardly curved bracket members 76 between which is journaleda frame member 77 having a conveyer platform 78 in all respects similar to frame 41 and platform 42. The frame 77 is supported at the proper distance from the ground, when in operation, by means of caster wheels 79 and is held up in inoperativeposition by lockf ing the same to brackets 80 provided for the purpose. Upon the platform 78 an endless conveyer 81 is mounted to travelpand extending upwardly adjacent platform 75 and between that and the separator, -to the'fra'me of which it is rigidly secured, is. a conveyer 'trough 82, the upper end of which overlies a sloping platform 83 which extends to the conveyer 84 of the front feeder 13. This conveyer 84 and the feeder mechanism isl operated from a shaft 85 driven by alsprocket chain 86 extending from a sprocket wheel 87 on the main power' shaft 22. On the shaft 85 is a sprocket wheel 88 which, through sprocket chain 89, drives a sprocket wheel 90 and through that a roller 91 journaled at the upper end of conveyer trough 82. The roller 91 drives an endless conveyer 92 traveling in conveyer trough 82 and extending around aroller 93 journaled in the'bottom thereof. The shaft of the roller 93 is provided with a sprocket wheel 94 which through a sprocket chain 95 and sprocket wheel 96 drives a shaft 97 extending lcentrally through the pivotal supports of frame 77. The shaft 97 has on the end thereof a sprocket 98 which, through a sprocket chain 99 and sprocket wheel 100 on the shaft thereof, drives the roller journaled in the upper end of platform 77 over which t-he conveyer 81 extends and by which said conveyer is continuously driven.

It will be obvious that whichever form of my invention is used the essential fea tures of its operation are the same, except that in the form shown in Figs. l and 2A the mechanism for picking up the shocks operates directly to steer the entire machine.

The engineer will occupy a posit-ion ,upon

the end of conveyer 43 or conveyer 81 will be successively brought against the shocks along a given line or row `down the field. These shocks or the bundles composing them will be picked up and delivered by the conveyer upon platform 46 or platform 75. The man on the platform will lay the bundles within the conveyertrough 47 or the conveyer trough 82, and the endless conveyers therein will carry them either to the slide platform 48 or the slide platform 83 down which they will travel. to the feeder conveyer to be taken care of by the machine in the usual way. ln practice, the separator will probably not have as large capacity as the larger machines employed for stack threshing, since the small number of men employed necessary to operate it will not make it desirable to use a machine of large size. As the man on the platform will have to move the bundles but a short distance to the carrier, it will be easily practicable for one man to handle the bundles as rapidly as they are brought upon the platform by the loader conveyer. The straw may be blown out upon the ground through a hooded chute 101 and will spread over the ground without causing a great amount of dust, and will be constantly left behind as the machine progresses through the field.

rlhethreshed grain will be taken up into an elevator 102 of well known construction from which it will run back through spout 103 into a grain tank drawn behind thc separator and attached thereto by means` of hook 104 on cross-bar 105 back of the separator. In practice it will be desirable to have a number of such grain tanks available and as they are brought back from the elevator, the team will be unhitclied from the empty tank and hitched on to the full tank. To bring the empty tank up into position where the same may be connected to the vhook 104,1 have provided a drum 106 mounted upon top platform from which a cable 107 extends over a sheave 107. The drum is drivenin any desired manner. As shown a sprocket chain 108 runs from a sprocket wheel 108 on a driven shaft `of the machineto a sprocket wheel 109 on a shaft 110 having loose thereon a spur gear 111 meshing with a gear 112 having connection with the drum 106. By means of a clutch 118 and clutch lever 114 power may be applied to rotatethe drum 106 as desired. Also the drum 106 may be provided with gearing'll operated by a removable hand crank 116. p

The operation of my device has been fully given. The shock lifting mechanism is similar to that employed in devices for loading shocks upon wagons and is entirely practicable. The shocks are lifted bodily and carried upon the platform from which they are transferred by hand and one at a time to the proper conveyer mechanism. Ifat any time the shocks should come up so rapidily as to getahead of the manon the platform, the engineer can unclutch the mechanism for -operating the traction and the machine will simply remain stationary but continuously running until the operator has cleared off the platform when the en, gineer will again drive the machine forward to takeup more shocks. One of the ma terial advantages of my machine is that owing to the small crew necessary to operate it, it is not essential that the machine be made of extremely large capacity and, therefore,it can be economically constructed so as to be moderate in size and cost. Also the farmer who has one helper or son large enough to manipulate the steering apparatus will be able to thresh his grain without being dependent upon a large amount of outside labor which is always expensive and difficult to get during the harvest period.

I claim:

`l. In combination, a traveling threshing machine, a platform extending outwardly from the threshing machine, means for lifting shocks from the ground anddepositing the same on the platform, and means for conveying the bundles from the platform tothe threshing machine mechanism, said platform providing a support and working space movable with the threshing machine for an operator to effect transference of bundles singly from the point of delivery upon the platform to said conveying means.

2. In combination, atraveling threshing machine, a platform, a conveyer frame pivotally mounted in front of said platform having the lower end thereof in close proximity to the ground and the upper end overlying said platform, an endless -conveyer on said frame, a self-feeder on the threshing machine having an endless conveyer, a slop ing platform extending to the feeder conveyer, an endless carrier extending from the first named platform above the sloping platform, saidiirst-named platform providing a support and working space movable with the threshing machine for an operator to effect transference of bundles singly from the point of delivery upon the platform to said endless carrier, and means to drive the carrier and Erst-named conveyer from thev for conveying bundles from the platformV and delivering them to the chute, said platform providing a Asupport and working space movable with the threshing machine for an operator to effect transference of bundles singly from the point of delivery upon they platforinto the conveying means. 5.` In combination, ak traveling threshing machine, a platform extending outwardly from the threshing machine, a conveyer pivotally mounted in front-of said platform and supported so that oneend overlies the platform and the other isadjacent to the grounda self-'feeder on the threshing machine, a chute sloping downwardly to the feeder, an endless carrier running' from ,said platform to a point above said chute, said platform providing a support and. working space movable with the threshing machine for an operator to effect ,transference of bundles singly from the point of delivery upon the platform to the carrier, means to drive the carrier from the feeder, and means to drive theconveyer from the carrier.

6. In combination, a traveling threshing machine, a platform extending forwardly directly ahead of thethreshing machine, a deck feeder on the threshing machine, `a slideway or chute sloping downwardly to the feeder, means for lifting the shocks of bundles from the ground and depositing them upon the platform, and means' for conveying bundles from the platform and discharging them upon said slideway, said platform providing a support and working space rmovable with the threshing machine for an operator to effect transference of bundles singly lfrom the point of delivery upon the platform to the conveying means.

7. In combination, a travelingthreshing machine, a .platform extending outwardly from the, threshing machine, a conveyer frame pivotally mounted in front ofl said platform and having the lower end thereof in close proximity to the ground andthe upper end overlying said platform, an endless conveyer: on sai'dframe for engaging and lifting the shocks bodily anddepositing them upon the platform, and` means for con-` veying the bundles from the platform tothe threshing machine` mechanism,` said platform r providing a support and working space movable .with ,the threshing lmachine for the reception of said shocks and for an operator to effect transference of bundles singly from the shocks upon the platform to said conveying means.

8. In combination, a traveling threshing machine, a platform extending outwardly from the threshing machine, means for lifting shocks from the ground and depositing the same upon the platform, a self-feeder on the threshing machine having an endless conveyer, and means for conveying the bundles from the platform and delivering the same to said feeder conveyer, said platform providing a support and working space movable with the threshing machine for the reception of said shocks and for an operator to effect transference of bundles singly from the shocks upon the platform to said conveying means.

9. In combination, a traveling threshing machine, a platform extending outwardly from the threshing machine, means for lifting shocks from the ground and depositing the same upon the platform, a self-feeder on the threshing machine, and an endless carrier extending from a point close to the upper surface of said platform to a point above said self-feeder for conveying bundles from the platform and delivering them to the self-feeder, said platform providing a support and working space movable with the threshing machine for the reception of said shocks and for an operator to effect transference of bundles singly from the shocks upon the platform to said endless carrier.

In testimony whereof I afhx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDl/VIN M. WHEELOCK. Witnesses:

R. H. JAcosoN, H. A.. BOWMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. C. 

